Tag Archives: food

Review: Sourdough

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Sourdough
by Robin Sloan
4 stars

I enjoyed Robin Sloan’s quirky book Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore, so I was eager to read his latest novel.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the same wonderful quirkiness in Sourdough.

Lois Clary, a workaholic living in San Francisco, finds a menu on her doorstep one day offering spicy sandwich, spicy soup, or a combo of both.  Having survived primarily on a food substitute, Lois decides to give this new place a try.  She falls in love.  The food and the bread are healing to her, and the highlight of her day.  When the owners of the restaurant have to move away, they give her a gift – some of their sourdough starter.

Lois, who has never baked in her life, decides to learn and finds herself quickly pulled into a culinary world.  With her background in computer technology, Lois decides to try combining her knowledge of robotics with her new passion which leads to some interesting outcomes.  This is a fun, fast read that will have you craving sourdough.

Read-alikes

Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

The View from Penthouse B by Elinor Lipman

Review: The Coincidence of Coconut Cake

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The Coincidence of Coconut Cake
by Amy E. Reichert
4 stars

This book made my epicurean heart drool while also prompting me to scour Airbnb for fun finds in Milwaukee for a weekend getaway.  The Coincidence of Coconut Cake was exactly the book that I needed to read when I picked it up.  I needed a light, happy book; a book that makes you want to curl up with your favorite pint of ice cream and devour all in one sitting.  Fair warning: the pint of ice cream may not satisfy because Amy Reichert, a self-described amateur chef, described the food with so much love it had me salivating throughout the book.

The Milwaukee born and raised Elizabeth, or “Lou” to her friends, has nothing but love for the city and its food culture.  Lou is the owner and chef of Louella’s, a French restaurant that is just starting to get noticed.  She breaks up with her boyfriend on the day that a food critic from the local paper chooses to patronize the restaurant.  Understandably distracted, she does not prepare the food up to par and thus receives a scathing review. On the same day a handsome English journalist, Al, sees a girl on the street carrying a coconut cake. He gets one whiff of the tantalizing smell of vanilla and coconut and thinks about the cake and the girl carrying it for days.  They run into each other again and since work isn’t going well for Lou after the horrible review and Al writes under a pseudonym to keep his work identity separate, they choose to keep the conversation light and away from work.  They continue to see each other, her showing the Englishman the best of Milwaukee culture and food while falling in love over cheese curds.  And then it happens, they find out that each other is known by a different name and things look like they may be beyond redemption for Lou and Al.

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake reads like it belongs on the Hallmark Channel.  It is a classic rom-com and perfect for those who just want a book as light as Lou’s frosting of her famed coconut cake.

Read-alikes

Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave

The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal

Review: Relish: My Life in the Kitchen

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Relish: My Life in the Kitchen
by Lucy Knisley
4 stars

Take one part memoir, and one part cookbook and put it into a graphic novel and you get this book by Lucy Knisely.  Lucy has always grown up around food, with chef for a mother and a gourmet for a father, she was born into an appreciation for food.  While smells or photos can evoke strong memories in some, Lucy’s memories were formed alongside her palate.  The crack of the burnt sugar on a crème brulee brings back memories of serving alongside her mom in her catering business. Shucking oysters brings back memories of working with her uncle.  Pixy stix are correlated with the travel to Mexico with her friend. McDonald’s fries eaten in Italy much to her parent’s dismay are her reminder that the world needs a bit of comfort grease sometimes.  The entire book is about food, yes, but also about the relationships built around eating together.  With excellent illustrations and delightful humor and a few self-deprecating stories, Lucy Knisley is able boil the book down to the truth that while eating is a solitary act it is truly enjoyed and memorable when food is shared with others.

Read-alikes

French Milk by Lucy Knisley

Julie and Julia by Julie Powell